Muhammad Shakeel's appointment as JMI's officiating vice president is confirmed by President Murmu.

NEW DELHI: In her capacity as the university's visitor, President of India Droupadi Murmu has approved the appointment of Muhammad Shakeel as the acting vice-chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI).The official notice said, "Hon'ble President of India has been pleased to approve the appointment of Prof. Mohammad Shakeel as the Officiating Vice-Chancellor as per Statute 2(6) of JMI Act, 1988 in her capacity as the Visitor of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), in exercise of powers conferred upon her by the Act or Statutes of University."On May 22, Jamia Millia Islamia named Mohammad Shakeel as its Acting Vice Chancellor in response to a Delhi High Court decision nullifying Eqbal Hussain's appointment and directing the university to name a replacement Vice Chancellor within seven days.Shakeel graduated from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Aligarh, with a BTech and MTech degree. He then went on to the University of Roorkee to earn a PhD. He began working at JMI in November 1986 as a lecturer, and in 1992 and 2000, respectively, he was elevated to the positions of reader and professor.

The Delhi High Court declared that Eqbal Hussain's appointments to the positions of Pro-Vice Chancellor and Officiating Vice Chancellor at Jamia Millia Islamia were invalid because they did not comply with the relevant legal conditions.Professor Eqbal Hussain had challenged Professor Mohammad Shakeel's nomination to the role in a suit submitted to the Delhi High Court. The recent nomination of Professor Shakeel as the acting Vice Chancellor, according to Hussain's legal team, was illegal and not supported by the right processes.